Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
This week, we’re talking about a modern-day false prophet who has incorrectly announced the date of the rapture TWICE in a two-week period. False prophets have been doing this for years. Yet they still amass a following. Why? Why do some people have such an interest in knowing when the end of the world will be? We are going to discuss that in our episode today.Continue Reading
When Paul addressed the philosophers in Athens, he taught them about the “unknown God” (Acts 17:23). He explained how the living and true God is different from all man-made idols. God created the world, made us in His image, and provided us with all good things to enjoy. Paul concluded his message with the declaration that God was now making to all:
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
This message was not for the Athenians alone. All men who lived from that time to today, and for as long as the world stands, need to heed this message. So let us examine what God is declaring to us even today.Continue Reading
At the time of this writing, controversy recently erupted at the beginning of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, in which a group of “drag queens” appeared to represent the last supper of Jesus and His apostles. (Pictures of this are currently all over the internet, but I decided they were too vulgar to display on this website. Instead, the image above is of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting which was allegedly being parodied.) Depicting this event with the Lord and His apostles in this way makes a mockery of Christ. However, some claim that this was not the intended reference. Yet even if that were true, the entire lewd scene was an insult to Christians and anyone else who holds a Biblical view of morals and sexuality. Sadly, such a display is no longer surprising today.
As a culture becomes more and more godless, believers in Christ increasingly become the targets of ridicule, harassment, ostracism, and, in some cases, even physical violence. This has been the case in various places throughout the world. Yet now, even in places that were once tolerant of Christianity and generally embraced Biblical values, there is a growing antagonism toward God, the Lord Jesus Christ, His church, His word, and His people.
The apostle Peter warned about this back in the first century:
“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3-4).
We certainly see “mockers” today who ridicule anything that pertains to faith in Christ. Let us consider a few points about this.Continue Reading
After Islamist militants attacked Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, Israel went to war against Hamas – the Palestinian militant Islamist group in Gaza. Israel’s stated mission was to wipe them out.
When this conflict escalated, many wondered how it might fit into the prophecies contained in the Bible. There was speculation that it could be a possible sign of the “end times.” This is nothing new. Anytime there is a significant military conflict involving Israel, these discussions arise.
It is helpful to know what (if anything) the Bible says about this. Matthew 24 is a key chapter to help us on this point. Unfortunately, many people misunderstand and misinterpret this chapter. However, understanding what Jesus taught there will help us answer questions about whether some current event is a sign of the end.Continue Reading
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
God created this world, which operates according to the rules He has established. This was part of the foundation of His promise to Noah after the flood: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Each of these represented a natural cycle that God established in His creation. Yet one of these cycles – “seedtime and harvest” – referred to more than just a period of time. Harvest indeed follows seedtime or sowing. Yet the outcome of the harvest would depend – at least in part – on what was planted, when it was done, and how it was conducted.
This idea is universally familiar to us. Even if we do not engage in the work of farming, we understand this principle. So this illustration of sowing and reaping is used throughout the Bible to discuss more than just agriculture. We will notice a few passages that teach us about sowing and reaping to see what we are to do, what we are to avoid, and what the consequences are of our choices.Continue Reading
Our society as a whole has rejected the idea that we can identify anyone’s chosen behavior or identity as being wrong. This has led to the acceptance of numerous practices that were once largely looked down upon. As a result, the only thing that many people will condemn is the “intolerance” and “bigotry” from those who identify sin as sin.
Many such people are irreligious and have no interest in following the Lord, yet they want to try to use the Bible against “intolerant” Christians. Then there are others among this group who claim to be Christians but condemn the “judging” done by other Christians. Both types of individuals will often cite Jesus’ statement, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1), in order to condemn those who identify sin and encourage righteous behavior. However, Jesus’ point in that passage is very different from the one that many people make from it. Notice the whole context of that verse:
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-5).
In this passage, Jesus talked about judging and being judged. Other Bible passages address this topic as well. Let us consider what Jesus and the rest of the Scriptures say about it.Continue Reading
Throughout the book of Proverbs, a contrast is made between wisdom and foolishness. Since the wisdom described in the book comes from above, those who follow after this and live according to its precepts will be righteous. Conversely, those who reject the way of wisdom will inevitably find themselves engaged in wickedness.
Despite their rejection of godly wisdom, the wicked often prosper in life. They may appear to be better off than the righteous. Not only that but the apparent prosperity and success of the wicked often seem to come at the expense of the righteous.
This sense of injustice is nothing new. We often see those who reject the wisdom from above seem to escape the negative consequences of their sin, laziness, wastefulness, ignorance, and more. The same was true when the wise man wrote the Proverbs. Yet notice what he wrote:
“My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place; for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him. Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked; for there will be no future for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out” (Proverbs 24:13-20).
In the passage above, Solomon explained that the righteous who follow after wisdom have hope for the future. Therefore, rather than getting discouraged about their current situation (or that of the wicked), there were certain things they were told to do and not do. Let us consider his points and see what we can learn from them.Continue Reading
What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
Available in print and digital format.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
If you have further questions about using any of the material on this site, please contact me.